Friday’s editorial applauds the
ongoing state audit and study of our voting machines, which we’ve often
complained about in the past:
When South Carolina voters head to the polls to
vote for president on Nov. 6, the outcome is not expected to be particularly
close. But if it were, or if a state or local race comes down to the wire, how
confident would we be that the paperless voting machines we use got the outcome
right?
For most of us, the answer is mostly
confident. Probably confident. About 90 percent or so. Is that enough?
Friday’s first editorial offers a
measured defense of Rep. Alan Clemmons and his recent racist email reply flap.
No, we don’t think it was acceptable. But it’s out of character for Clemmons
and we believe it to be a forgivable hasty mistake:
Yes, Myrtle Beach Rep. Alan Clemmons
was wrong to respond “Amen” to a racially charged email from a constituent, but
one ill-advised response doesn’t make him a racist.
Editorial No. 2, in which we take the state Democratic Party to task for their silly post-election lawsuits (which keep coming):
It’s one thing to make an unpopular stand on a contentious issue because it violates deeply held principles and you truly don’t agree with it. It’s another matter entirely when that stand is only a way of furthering your own position.
That’s at least the way the state’s Democratic Party is looking as it persists in its lawsuits against Republican winners of June’s primaries.
Sunday’s editorial tries to inject some clarity into what has become a confusing maze of voter ID insinuations and vagueness:
Race discrimination, disenfranchisement, zombie voters, million-dollar lawsuits. The fight over South Carolina’s voter ID law has had its share of heated discussions, lofty rhetoric, twists and turns. With all of the arguments thrown about, it’s worth stepping back for a few minutes and taking a look at exactly what we’re all discussing. So in that vein, a few questions and answers on the voter ID debate:
Yes, there’s still a party besides the Republicans on the coast, as Friday’s editorial points out:
Don’t worry, Democrats, we haven’t forgotten that you exist.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for our Grand Strand Republicans, what with first the presidential debate and all the hoopla surrounding it and now the primary coming up Saturday. But for many residents, it’s all been little more than a sideshow. If the 2008 and 2010 elections can be used as a barometer, at least a third of Horry County’s voters pull the lever for Democrats. In Georgetown County, the number is closer to half.
Friday’s editorial registers our concern about the latest iteration of Atlantic Beach’s election debacle this year:
“When you’ve got people fighting each other every single day, you just can’t move forward. You can’t.”
– Atlantic Beach Town Manager Benny Webb, before the court hearing on Thursday
It must be tiring to be any sort of leader in Atlantic Beach. All that looking over your shoulder and anticipating knives in your back would quickly get exhausting.
At court on Thursday, that tension and divisiveness was on display even as town residents and officials waited for the hearing to begin. Snide comments and sniping aimed at other residents filled at least one of the court’s two waiting rooms, directed at those in the other room.
It’s almost time to vote again, and ahead of the editorial board’s recommendations, Tuesday’s editorial explains why we still offer our take on the candidates and by what criteria we judge them:
Over the subsequent days, The Sun News editorial board will again be sharing its opinions with you on upcoming local elections. Our reason for doing so is not to drum up support for particular candidates or so that our readers will mutely agree with our suggestions. We’re not campaign managers or political operatives, nor do we want to be. Instead, we offer our opinion on races in the hope that we can offer food for thought and inform your decisions that much more as you head to the ballot box.
Sunday’s editorial is our annual legislative scorecard:
This year’s legislative session began with a sense of excitement and promise. After eight years of bickering and conflict between Gov. Mark Sanford and the legislature – culminating with the threat of impeachment proceedings against him as a result of his extraordinary political self-immolation – a new face was in the governor’s mansion.
Gov. Nikki Haley promised to work with the legislature to get a number of important measures passed, streamlining the government and opening it up to inspection by those it serves. And in fact some of these worthy goals did come to fruition, chief among them the push for more roll call voting in the House and Senate, which helped make this year’s scorecard possible.
Friday’s editorial takes a look at the controversy surrounding the voter ID law that passed this year:
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition came to the state this week to protest the state’s new voter ID law, not up for review by the Justice Department. Calling it a “massive voter suppression scheme,” he pledged to work to have the rule overturned.
“Massive” is going a bit far, but in the short-term, Jackson may have a point.
Sunday’s editorial wishes for more accountability when it comes to the tax money put to use or sought by local chambers of commerce.
This past Monday, the state’s deadline for putting questions to the voters on the Nov. 2 ballot came and went with little fanfare.
Other than HorryCounty’s question about funding The Coast RTA, no other ballot questions were filed. Unfortunately, this means that voters in neither the city of Myrtle Beach nor North Myrtle Beach will have the opportunity to express their collective opinions about the 1-cent sales tax for tourism advertising.
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